I'm a freelance web developer with experience spanning the full stack of application development and a senior writer here at NetTuts+. Besides for that I spend my time writing books for Packt or working on open source projects I find intriguing . You can find me on Twitter @gabrielmanricks or visit my site to see all the things I'm working on gabrielmanricks.com.

A test driven development cycle simplifies the thought process of writing code, makes it easier, and quicker in the long run. But just writing tests is not enough by itself, knowing the kinds of tests to write and how to structure code to conform to this pattern is what it's all about. In this article we will take a look at building a small app in Node.js following a TDD pattern.

A test driven development cycle simplifies the thought process of writing code, makes it easier, and quicker in the long run. But just writing tests is not enough by itself, knowing the kinds of tests to write and how to structure code to conform to this pattern is what it's all about. In this article we will take a look at building a small app in Node.js following a TDD pattern.Read More…

Cloud IDEs have been around for a little while now, and they have been pretty good for things like pair programming, or cases where you want to code consistently no matter where you are. Koding just came out of private beta, and they would like to take this notion a couple steps further, with their "cloud ecosystem".
In this article we will take a look at what Koding is, as-well as some of the benefits you can get from using it.

Cloud IDEs have been around for a little while now, and they have been pretty good for things like pair programming, or cases where you want to code consistently no matter where you are. Koding just came out of private beta, and they would like to take this notion a couple steps further, with their "cloud ecosystem".
In this article we will take a look at what Koding is, as-well as some of the benefits you can get from using it.Read More…

Statamic is a modern PHP CMS which really makes an effort to be easy and intuitive to use. From its flat-file design to its use of technologies like Markdown and YAML, you can accomplish an outstanding amount of work without writing any code at all.
In this article we will take a look at the process from installation to setting up a basic portfolio.

Statamic is a modern PHP CMS which really makes an effort to be easy and intuitive to use. From its flat-file design to its use of technologies like Markdown and YAML, you can accomplish an outstanding amount of work without writing any code at all.
In this article we will take a look at the process from installation to setting up a basic portfolio.Read More…

Bitcoin has definitely started to become more mainstream, and with its global reach and minimal fees, it is a payment method worth considering.
In this article, we will take a look at what Bitcoin is, as well as how to start accepting them in your applications.

Bitcoin has definitely started to become more mainstream, and with its global reach and minimal fees, it is a payment method worth considering.
In this article, we will take a look at what Bitcoin is, as well as how to start accepting them in your applications.Read More…

Handlebars has been gaining popularity with its adoption in frameworks like Meteor and Ember.js, but what is really going on behind the scenes of this exciting templating engine?
In this article we will take a deep look through the underlying process Handlebars goes through to compile your templates.

Handlebars has been gaining popularity with its adoption in frameworks like Meteor and Ember.js, but what is really going on behind the scenes of this exciting templating engine?
In this article we will take a deep look through the underlying process Handlebars goes through to compile your templates.Read More…

Sails.js is an up and coming Node.js framework, with a focus on freedom and smart defaults. In this article we'll take a look at some of the data features Sails provides out-of-the-box, for easily making complex apps.

Sails.js is an up and coming Node.js framework, with a focus on freedom and smart defaults. In this article we'll take a look at some of the data features Sails provides out-of-the-box, for easily making complex apps.Read More…

As with any web application, creating multi-page sites requires a specialized set of tools. In this article, we'll take a look at developing a library that not only can differentiate between the different URIs, but one that takes advantage of Meteor's core features.

As with any web application, creating multi-page sites requires a specialized set of tools. In this article, we'll take a look at developing a library that not only can differentiate between the different URIs, but one that takes advantage of Meteor's core features.Read More…

Slim is a lightweight framework that packs a lot of punch for its tiny footprint. It has an incredible routing system, and offers a solid base to work from without getting in your way. Let me show you!

Slim is a lightweight framework that packs a lot of punch for its tiny footprint. It has an incredible routing system, and offers a solid base to work from without getting in your way. Let me show you!Read More…

Front-end developers face a variety of challenges when creating sites that have repetitive solutions. All sites use a similar DOM skeleton, as well as many common features and attributes. Volo aims to remove some of the effort out of the process, allowing developers to focus on the new aspects of a project, as apposed to the same.

Front-end developers face a variety of challenges when creating sites that have repetitive solutions. All sites use a similar DOM skeleton, as well as many common features and attributes. Volo aims to remove some of the effort out of the process, allowing developers to focus on the new aspects of a project, as apposed to the same.Read More…

It's common practice to work locally on a project and push revisions to a production server, but the step that people often skip is the staging server. A staging server is a mix between production and development; you get to test your app as if it were in production. Let's review some of the issues that you'll have to consider, as well as the steps needed to replicate a production Platform as a Service (PAAS).

It's common practice to work locally on a project and push revisions to a production server, but the step that people often skip is the staging server. A staging server is a mix between production and development; you get to test your app as if it were in production. Let's review some of the issues that you'll have to consider, as well as the steps needed to replicate a production Platform as a Service (PAAS).Read More…